We left Evergrove sooner than I expected. The hurried departure gave me little time to think. Before I knew it, the familiar rooftops of the town had disappeared behind us, replaced by winding roads and stretches of forest.
I sat inside the carriage with my head near the open window, letting the breeze cool my face. Alexander rode somewhere beside us. For once, I didn't feel the need to keep track of where he was. There was too much to look at.
The landscape changed as we travelled deeper into Eldorian territory. Tall oak trees lined the road, their leaves beginning to turn red and orange as summer gave way to autumn. Beneath their branches, slender willows swayed in the wind, their long branches brushing against the grass.
I'd never seen trees like these growing together. Not like this.
"They call those the Whispering Willows." Alexander's voice came from outside the carriage.
I turned towards the window. He was riding alongside us, one hand resting loosely on the reins.
"The Whispering Willows?"
His gaze moved towards the trees. "There's an old belief that they carry the voices of the past. Some say they whisper secrets to anyone willing to listen."
I looked at the branches again. They moved gently in the breeze. "Do they actually whisper?"
A faint smile touched his mouth. "Some people insist they do."
"And you?"
"I've heard many things while travelling through these forests." He glanced towards me. "Not all of them were true."
I smiled. "That's a very diplomatic answer."
"I am a prince."
"Right." I pulled my head back slightly, but I kept the window open. The forest gradually thickened around us. Oak, maple and beech trees formed a dense canopy overhead. I recognised most of them from my old life, although there were others I had never encountered before. Among the ordinary trees stood tall pines with silver needles. The sunlight caught on them as we passed.
"Moonlit Pines," Alexander said when he noticed me staring.
I looked at him. "You know I was going to ask."
"I thought you might."
"They're beautiful."
"They're more useful than beautiful."
I raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Their needles retain light after sunset. Villages along this road sometimes use them instead of lamps."
That made me look back at the trees. The world I had once known had relied on electricity. Here, people used glowing moss and trees that stored sunlight. I couldn't decide whether that was fascinating or ridiculous. Probably both.
As evening approached, the temperature dropped. The breeze became colder against my face. Somewhere beyond the trees, the last light of the sun faded into pink and purple. Small lanterns appeared beside the road as we passed through the outskirts of several villages. Instead of flames, they contained glowing moss, casting a soft light over the paths.
I leaned closer to the window. "That's moss?"
Alexander looked over. "Yes."
In my world, electricity had illuminated our nights. Here, people relied on glowing moss and trees that could retain light.
He smiled. "And here, we use what the forest provides." There was no judgement in his voice. Just familiarity.
I looked at the glowing lanterns again. Different worlds. Different rules. And somehow, I was beginning to understand this one. The moon rose above the trees as darkness settled over the forest.
Alexander's horse slowed slightly until he was level with the carriage. "We'll depend on the moonlight for part of the journey," he said. "The roads are well travelled, and we have the protection of the knights. You don't need to worry."
I looked at the dark forest beyond him. The Moonlit Pines were beginning to glow. Their silver needles caught the moonlight, making it possible to see the road ahead even without the lanterns.
"Such beauty," I murmured.
Alexander looked at me rather than at the forest. The wonder on her face was impossible to miss. For a moment, he simply watched. He had seen these forests countless times. He had ridden through them since childhood. Yet Elysia looked at them as though she were seeing them for the first time. Perhaps, in a way, she was.
"Would you like to ride?"
I turned towards him. "What?"
"Come with me." He gestured towards the horse. "It's a better way to see the landscape."
I smiled politely. "Thank you, but I'll stay here."
His eyebrows lifted slightly. "You prefer the carriage?"
"At the moment."
He studied me for another moment. Then he nodded. "As you wish." He urged his horse forward.
I watched him disappear gradually ahead of the carriage. Only after he was gone did I let out the breath I hadn't realised I was holding. The truth was simple. I had never ridden a horse. Not once. I didn't know how. I pulled my head back inside and lowered the window. The sudden quiet of the carriage settled around me. I reached up and tried to fix my hair, which had been thoroughly ruined by the wind, then leaned against the wooden side panel.
Lady Evelyn had been watching me. "You enjoy riding, Your Highness."
I turned. "I do?"
She gave me a small, thoughtful look. I immediately remembered. Of course. The original Elysia could ride. If her abilities had somehow transferred to me, then I should be able to ride too. Everything except her memories. That was the part that still didn't make sense. I looked down at my hands. My body remembered things my mind didn't.
"Well..." I hesitated. "Perhaps I can ride when the time is right."
Lady Evelyn waited. I glanced towards the closed window. "At the moment, I'm not sure riding with him is a good idea."
She didn't immediately respond. Instead, she adjusted the fold of her sleeve and considered my words. There was no teasing smile. No amused remark. Only quiet observation. After a moment, she looked towards me. "Have you not noticed, Your Highness?"
"Noticed what?"
"The Prince is rather fond of you."
I stared at her. Then I snickered and shook my head. "Alexander?"
Lady Evelyn's expression remained perfectly composed. "Yes."
"He's a womaniser, Evelyn. It's practically in his blood to charm women whenever it pleases him."
Lady Evelyn's eyebrows rose slightly. "That is quite a strong opinion."
I realised my mistake. Too late.
She tilted her head. "How do you know so much about his reputation? It has only been a short while since you met him."
I looked towards the window. I couldn't tell her the truth. I couldn't tell her that I knew Alexander from a story. That I knew what kind of man he was supposed to become. That I knew things about him I had no right to know. "Believe me, Evelyn." I forced a small smile. "I know."
She studied me for a few seconds longer. I wondered whether she had noticed the way I avoided answering. Then, instead of pressing the matter, she shifted slightly in her seat. "You have changed, Your Highness."
My eyes moved back to her.
"I know you have not regained your memories." She folded her hands neatly in her lap. "But I have noticed a few changes in you."
That caught my attention. "Such as?"
Lady Evelyn took a moment before answering. "The princess I knew was meek. She preferred to keep to herself and was uncomfortable around men who were not members of the royal family or Sir Gregory."
I listened. She continued in the same calm tone. "But since we left Astoria, you have spoken quite freely with the Prince. And with Sir Gabriel and Sir Liam as well."
She paused.
"This morning, at the jewellery shop, you appeared quite comfortable speaking with that gentleman."
My stomach tightened. Lady Evelyn had dropped the bomb so gently that it took me a moment to realise how dangerous the observation was. She wasn't accusing me. That almost made it worse. She was simply telling me that she had noticed.
I searched her face. There was concern there. Not suspicion. Concern. I took a slow breath. "Being forced away from Astoria has changed me in ways I never imagined." It was the first explanation I could find. And, in a way, it was the truth.
Lady Evelyn's expression softened. "I believe it has." She reached across the space between us and placed her hand over mine. "The changes are not necessarily bad, Your Highness." Her fingers gave my hand a gentle pat. "Do not worry too much about becoming someone different."
I looked down at her hand. Relief loosened something in my chest. My explanation had been accepted. At least for now. "Thank you."
Lady Evelyn gave me a small smile before withdrawing her hand.
The carriage fell quiet again. I rested my head against the wooden panel. For once, I didn't have to invent another excuse. I closed my eyes. Then the narrator began.
As their journey continued, Elysia pondered the significance of the road ahead...
I opened one eye. Oh, no.
She was no longer merely an observer in this world. She had become part of its tale, and with every passing mile, she found herself drawing closer to the destiny that awaited her.
I closed my eyes again. Here we go.
Although the enchantment of this world fascinated her, Samantha Lindsey could not escape the reality of her predicament. A part of her still longed to return to her own world.
I sighed silently. Apparently, my imaginary storyteller had decided to catch up on everything I'd already spent weeks thinking about.
Yet she could not abandon the quest to save the monsters. Her hatred towards Alexander had gradually lessened, adding a new complexity to their relationship.
I opened my eyes. "Seriously?"
Lady Evelyn glanced at me. "What is it?"
"Nothing."
She looked unconvinced, but politely let it go. I sank back against the carriage. The narrator continued anyway.
Before reaching Eldoria, Elysia knew she had to find a way to meet Tumblefluff. The creature might hold the key to connecting her fragmented memories with the King of Monsters.
That part, at least, was true. My thoughts drifted towards the little creature. Tumblefluff knew something. I was certain of it. The memories had begun appearing more frequently, but they never arrived in a way I could control. A smell. A sensation. A sudden image.
A feeling that belonged to someone else. Or perhaps someone who had been me all along. I still didn't know. The narrator's voice faded into the background. My thoughts turned instead to Frostbane. The beast that had kidnapped me. The beast I had helped them kill. I stared through the window.
The forest was almost completely dark now. Something uncomfortable pressed against my chest. The more I remembered, the more convinced I became that Frostbane hadn't intended to hurt Elysia. The kidnapping hadn't felt like an attack. There had been something else behind it.
Something I still couldn't understand. And because I had arrived in this world at exactly the wrong moment, I had helped the humans kill a creature that might never have meant any harm. My fingers tightened around the edge of my sleeve. Guilt crept in slowly. Then settled. I looked towards the road ahead.
Alexander wanted to find Aetheron. The Astorian royals wanted me home. And I wanted answers. But the more I learned, the less certain I became about what I was supposed to do. Could I really continue travelling with Alexander? Could I warn Aetheron before Alexander reached him? Could I trust the memories that kept surfacing? And could I escape this entourage without putting anyone else in danger?
My gaze shifted towards Lady Evelyn. She sat quietly across from me, her posture composed even after hours on the road. I couldn't leave her behind. If I fled alone, Alexander would come after me. If I took Evelyn with me, I would be putting her in danger. And if I abandoned her to Alexander's anger...
I didn't even want to think about it. I leaned my head against the carriage wall and stared at the dark forest. "Should I just run?"
Lady Evelyn looked up.
I immediately straightened. "I was thinking aloud."
She studied me for a moment. Then, with the same calm expression she had worn all afternoon, she returned her attention to the road.
I exhaled. There had to be another way. There had to be. At this point, I almost wished another villain would kidnap me. Anyone. A witch. A bandit. A dragon. I didn't care. Just someone willing to take me far enough away from the supposed male lead character of this ridiculous story.
I closed my eyes. Then immediately opened them again. Knowing my luck, the next person who kidnapped me would probably turn out to be another important character.